Two years ago, Serge Ibaka learned he was the father of a beautiful five-year-old little girl in Congo.
In his new documentary, Son of the Congo, the Oklahoma City Thunder baller revealed when he left Congo at 17, he had no idea his girlfriend was pregnant.
When his parents found out about the baby, his father kept the information from him to avoid putting “pressure” on him.
In the States, a lot of people don’t know I have a daughter here.
I didn’t even find out about her myself until two years ago.
When I was here in school, I had a girlfriend. And before I left, she was pregnant, but I didn’t know.
It was kinda girlfriend, kinda friend, you know?
I left Congo and then the news came to my family that she was pregnant and I left, you know, some woman here pregnant. I didn’t know.
And after that, my dad told them, ‘Please, my son is young. He just left his family, his parents, his country, right now he’s too young. He don’t know nobody, he’s by himself. Please don’t give my son pressure. I’m going to take care of everything.’
So, my dad took all the responsibility. Finally, two years ago, he decided to tell me the truth in the story.
Well, it was kind shocking a little bit when I heard that my first time. And I was kind of mad with my dad, too, but he was just trying to do his job to protect me because I was young.
Ranie and Serge met shortly after he learned the truth. The two quickly bonded and now she spends every summer with her father when he visits Congo.
Serge has also put Ranie in school, where she is learning English. He hopes to eventually move her to the Europe or the States with him.
Watch the trailer for Serge Ibaka‘s documentary, Son of the Congo below.
Watch the full documentary now at Grantland.com.
Photos: Instagram